No Sugar September

My dear compadres, I have come to a horrible, most dreadful, immensely desperate decision. It is not popular, it is highly scoffed by most, and shall not receive the accolades presented to Olympic champions. It is a difficult road I face with this decision – one that can only be tread by the bravest and most courageous of men.

Most do not survive. Many succumb to the fate of the enemy. But, I must face it. I must. For myself and for others.

My decision is to go sugar-free in September.

*gasps rise from the other side of the computer screen*

Yes, there it is. I have said it. The truth is out there. And now that I have told you, I must do it. Or I will be embarrassed. And no one likes to be embarrassed.

BUT, I also have an invitation for you! Hey, here’s an idea —- Why don’t YOU do it with me???

*gasps, mummerings, sighs, and cries of agony rise from, again…, the other side of the computer screen*

Come on, guys and gals. It can’t be that bad… right?

I have done this sort of this before and survived. In fact, I felt better quite soon afterward. So, in thinking about this post today, which has been on my calendar for a couple of months, and kept getting pushed back week by week (mainly because I kept eating sugar-filled treats and didn’t want to be a hypocrite), I thought, What the heck! Why don’t we just make this into a whole month challenge?! We can call it “No Sugar September” – like “No Shave November” but more hygienic. 🙂

Here are the guidelines I’m setting for myself. Feel free to shift and create your own guidelines.

– Stay a part of the “No Sugar September” event page, encouraging & being encouraged.

– Have no refined sugar for one full month, from September 1 to September 30.

As you have probably already divined, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), which I have struggled with for the past five years. There was a period of about two years when I was able to teach. And the truth is that one of the huge reasons I was able to work during that time was that I cut out sugar, gluten, and dairy completely… and also coffee. But, I don’t want to deal with getting off coffee again right now. It’s just too much… too much…

Because I’ve been getting worse again, it’s obvious I need to get off sugar again. I had a couple of weeks last month when I was able to do this, then I started it up again. I need help. We all need help to get off sugar, I think. It’s a very difficult task that I’ve been researching quite a bit about lately. I was reminded last night at our friends’ engagement party how important it is to eat what nourishes you – not what destroys you.

I’m tired of being tired. I’m tired of feeling sick after I eat things that hurt me. But I am held captive by them and I want to break free.

Throughout the month of September, we’ll be doing a series of posts to help you along – to help me along, as well as a week on Eating Disorders, including binge eating. We’ll talk about taking care of ourselves- why sugar is killing us, why getting off sugar helps us, how to cope with being sugar-free.

So, I give you this invitation that seems like a mountain: How about it? “No Sugar September”, here we come!